Salahudeen vs. Sri Lankan Airlines Ltd and Others – sllr 2019 volume 2 page 432

The case between Salahudeen and Sri Lankan Airlines Ltd addressed the issue of whether the Court of Appeal has jurisdiction under Article 140 of the Constitution to review decisions arising from contractual relationships, specifically relating to the termination of cadet pilot training. It was held that the dispute was rooted in contractual obligations, and not in the exercise of public or statutory power, reaffirming the principle that judicial review by way of writs such as certiorari or mandamus is confined to matters involving public law duties. The decision relied on established precedents limiting writ jurisdiction to decisions by bodies performing public functions, emphasizing that matters solely arising from private contracts do not attract such remedies.

Obeyesekere J. — Upon ex